A brilliant side for a roast dinner, this Jerusalem artichoke gratin is a great use of seasonal vegetables. It’s thick and creamy and packed full of flavour. This vegan gratin recipe is suitable for those following a dairy free or plant-based diet.
Jerusalem artichokes - also known as sunchokes - are ubiquitous in vegetable bag schemes throughout the winter.
But it can be hard to know what to do with them.
This recipe for Jerusalem artichoke gratin is a great option.
With a thick creamy sauce, and plenty of flavour, it has to be one of the most delicious ways out there to eat Jerusalem artichokes.
What are Jerusalem artichokes?
Jerusalem artichokes are known as sunchokes in some parts of the world. They’re a relative of the sunflower.
They originate from north America. They’re not particularly like artichokes (globe artichokes) nor do they have anything to do with Jerusalem! The name comes from “girasol”, French for sunflower.
Jane Grigson explains how the name came about in some detail in her excellent “Vegetable Book” if you would like to know more.
Some people find that Jerusalem artichokes give them wind - and because of this they’re more of an occasional food than a daily one.
Difficulty
This Jerusalem artichoke gratin is easy to make.
The only tricky part is cutting the Jerusalem artichokes thinly enough.
If you have a mandolin use that - otherwise use your sharpest knife.
Serve with…
My favourite way to serve this vegan gratin is as part of a roast dinner. For a perfect vegan roast try:
- roast potatoes
- parsnips
- a nut roast or wellington
- gravy
- steamed vegetables.
Ingredients
- Jerusalem artichokes
As with most vegetables a lot of the nutrients are in the skin so if possible scrub rather than peel. - White onion
For flavour - Garlic
For flavour - Fresh thyme
You could also use rosemary or sage for a different taste. - Bay leaf
Adds flavour. - Ground coriander
For a hint of spice - Oat milk
I love the creaminess of oat milk for my gratin - you can however use any dairy free milk apart from tinned coconut milk. - Oat cream
I prefer to use oat cream but I have also made this recipe with cashew cream. Soya cream would also work well. - Nutritional yeast
Lovely savoury taste. - Olive oil
Helps the Jerusalem artichokes cook. - Salt and pepper
Season to taste
Equipment
You don’t need any special equipment to make this vegan gratin but if you a have a mandolin it will make it easier to slice your Jerusalem artichokes thinly.
A sharp knife (take care!) will do the job almost as well.
Storage
Allow to cool, then cover and store in the fridge for up to three days.
Freezing
Allow to cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-proof container. Label with the recipe name and date.
How to make Jerusalem artichoke gratin
If you have made this recipe and loved it please consider leaving a comment and rating below.
Jerusalem artichoke gratin
Ingredients
- 400 g Jerusalem artichokes scrubbed
- 1 onion peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
- Small handful fresh thyme leaves picked and finely chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 250 ml oat milk or other dairy free milk
- 200 ml oat cream or soya cream
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C/gas mark 6.
- Lightly grease two roasting tins with oil and set aside.
- Scrub your Jerusalem artichokes to remove any mud and slice as thinly as possible using a mandolin if you have one or a sharp knife. If you prefer you can peel them too but this isn’t essential.
- Place in a mixing bowl with a sliced onion, 2 cloves of crushed garlic, your chopped fresh thyme, a bay leaf and a teaspoon of ground coriander.
- Mix well - you may find it easier to use your hands for this then transfer to your roasting tins, spreading out in a thin layer.
- In a jug mix together 250ml oat milk, 200ml oat cream, 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Whisk to combine then season with salt and pepper.
- Pour the oat milk mixture over the Jerusalem artichokes.
- Cover both dishes with foil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Remove the foil and return to the oven for a further 25-30 minutes until the top is turning crispy, the Jerusalem artichokes are soft and the sauce has thickened.
Notes
Nutrition
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Danni
This tastes absolutely divine, but mine came out really watery... Sorry to be one of those annoying people that tweaks things, but I have a few suspects: I was a little short on Jerusalem artichokes, so made up the rest up with potato, I must’ve ended up with slightly over 400g in the end, about 450g.. you would think more veggies would soak the liquid up better, but this didn’t happen, also, my onion was verging on large; could these factors have released more water? I also used soy cream rather than oat, I’m wondering if this is thinner? Furthermore, I did it in one large dish, that I thought was pretty shallow, but maybe not enough?! Like, maybe the sauce struggled to thicken as it was a little deep? Anyway, any pointers would be great, as I sometimes get Jerusalem artichokes in my veg boxes and I never know what to do with them! In the meantime, I might blend this attempt into a delicious soup! Thank you so much!
Cook Veggielicious
Hi Danni, sorry to hear that it didn't quite work out for you. I don't think a larger onion would make any difference. Different brands of cream/milk can have different levels of liquid so it's hard to know exactly but you're right to suggest that oat cream and milk often thickens quicker so that could be why. What brand of soy cream/milk did you use? You could try making it with all cream instead of half cream and half milk.